🇬🇷 Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in Greece 🫒 Olive Cultivation, Sustainability and Climate Action 🌱

Are you 18 to 30 and passionate about sustainability, Mediterranean ecosystems and making a positive impact? O-live T.R.E.E.S. is an Erasmus+ youth exchange in a rural Greek olive grove in Xiropigado, Arcadia, where young people explore how ancient olive traditions can help tackle climate change, from grove to bottle.

About the Project

O-live T.R.E.E.S. (Terrestrial Roots, Ecological, Economic, Social) explores the deep historical, cultural and environmental significance of olive cultivation, and what it can teach us about living more sustainably. The project looks at how olive cultivation fosters solidarity, active citizenship and shared European values, and how climate change and circular economy principles can support regenerative agriculture. By creating five "OliVideos", participants spread the project's message across Europe and show how an ancient agricultural product can be more sustainable and deeply connected to our communities. The exchange brings together 35 young people from five countries in one olive grove, with at least 40% of places reserved for participants facing fewer opportunities.

What You'll Do

🫒 Discover how olive cultivation promotes solidarity, active citizenship and shared European values, and explore the connection between olive-growing traditions, cultural heritage and intergenerational dialogue.

🌍 Learn how climate change affects olive cultivation, and discover circular economy principles and climate adaptation practices that support regenerative agriculture, permaculture and sustainable farming.

🎬 Experience authentic rural life by harvesting olives in real groves, visiting an olive mill and a local olive museum, learning how olive oil is produced, and creating five OliVideos to inspire sustainable communities across Europe. At least two days of the programme are fully hands-on, going from grove to bottle together.

🌿 Also open in 🇬🇷 Greece: ESC Volunteering in 🇬🇷 Greece – Organic Farming for Social Inclusion → https://youthworkshub.org/20963

Who Can Apply

🌍 Young people aged 18 to 30 with a good level of English, who are willing to fully embrace the experience, ready to engage, contribute and step outside their comfort zone.

🌱 A good fit if you come from a rural or agricultural area or feel connected to olive oil, orchards and farming; are interested in Mediterranean ecosystems and sustainable farming; want to expand your knowledge in sustainability, permaculture and circular economy through hands-on learning; want to learn how olive oil is extracted and immerse yourself in olive traditions; and want to develop similar projects in your own community afterwards.

🧘 Participants should be ready to embrace a voluntary detox experience, moving away from a holiday or party mentality (the exchange has an alcohol-free policy) to focus on meaningful conversations, creativity and genuine connection. The project especially welcomes people facing economic, social, geographical, LGBTQ+ and cultural obstacles, aiming for at least 40% of participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Day-by-Day Flow

📅 Ten days from the grove to the screen: arrival (Day 0), IntrOlive (Day 1), Terrestrial: climate crisis and cool solutions (Day 2), Roots: cultural and natural heritage and practices (Day 3), Ecologic: sustainability in agriculture, water, soil and permaculture (Day 4), Economic and entrepreneurial views (Day 5), Olives in practice with picking, museum and oil factory (Day 6), O-LIVE OliVideos and local community (Day 7), T.R.E.E.S. reflection, evaluation, emotions and synergy (Day 8), and morning departures (Day 9).

A Typical Day

🕗 A typical day runs with breakfast at 08:00, morning activities from 09:30 to 13:00, lunch, siesta and free time from 13:00 to 15:00, afternoon activities from 15:30 to 18:30, reflection time until 19:00, dinner at 19:00, and optional evening activities from 20:00 to 21:30.

The Full Journey

🗓️ The project runs from the Advance Planning Visit (APV) on 23 to 26 September, through an online assignment in October, the youth exchange from 14 to 22 November (arrival 13 November, departure 23 November), and a follow-up phase completing by 23 December.

📝 Inspiration (online assignment, October): in national groups, research your local agricultural practices, sustainable and regenerative food production models and natural resource policies, and prepare a creative presentation to share on the first days of the exchange.

🌟 Leave your mark (follow-up, 23 November to 23 December): in your national group, organise at least one dissemination activity in your community, such as a workshop, a vegetarian dinner, a clean-up, or a collaboration with schools or environmental NGOs. Social media posts alone do not count as a follow-up action, and you will share your activities and testimonials through an online form in December.

Advance Planning Visit (APV)

🤝 During the APV (23 to 26 September 2026), the five group leaders, one per partner country, join the two facilitators and RooTerra's board members for a hands-on, site-based working visit to prepare the programme, dissemination, site visits for Day 6, risk assessment, participant preparation and the OliVideos plan, ensuring every aspect of the November exchange is ready to deliver.

Arrival and Departure Logistics

🚌 Reach Athens city centre by 16:00 on 13 November. A dedicated bus leaves for the venue at 17:00, and there is no other way to arrive as the last regional bus is at 16:00. On 23 November the return bus departs Xiropigado by 09:00, so plan flights from 13:30 onwards.

About the Host Organisation

🌱 RooTerra's mission is to cultivate sustainable communities for everyone to grow, creating learning environments where new roots can take hold in people, communities and the land. Based in Korakovouni, a small village in the southeast Peloponnese, in the same landscape where O-live T.R.E.E.S. takes place, RooTerra is a member of the EU Pact for Skills and a paradigm of sustainable entrepreneurship in action, supporting organisations and people in the green transition.

🌳 Same green spirit, another Erasmus+ Youth Exchange: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange in 🇵🇹 Portugal – Agroforestry and Land Regeneration → https://youthworkshub.org/20947

What's Covered

💶 As an Erasmus+ youth exchange, accommodation and food are provided and travel is covered according to Erasmus+ rules.

The Details

📍 Location: Xiropigado, Arcadia, Greece.

📅 Youth exchange: 14 to 23 November 2026 (including travel days). Advance Planning Visit: 23 to 26 September 2026.

🫒 Focus: olive cultivation, sustainability and climate action. Hosted by RooTerra.

Eligible Countries

🌍 Open to participants from 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇺🇦 Ukraine, 🇷🇴 Romania and 🇮🇹 Italy.

How to Apply

Read the infopack carefully, then fill in the application form, taking your time to answer the questions in detail. If you have any questions, contact your sending organisation or write to the host by email. Do not use ChatGPT or other AI tools to answer: applications fully generated by AI will be automatically rejected, as the organisers care about honest opinions and points of view, not perfect answers.